Infinity scarves

I purchased some fabric recently from Pink Castle Fabrics that was begging to be made into a scarf.

I used this post from Anna Maria Horner's blog as my "template" of sorts.

For reference, if you want to make your own from her measurements you'll need 2 yards of fabric assuming your WOF measures approx 44" as mine did.  

Then, I experimented with smaller versions.

I found this gorgeously soft flannel buffalo check fabric and made a scarf out of that based on measurements of another infinity scarf I had, but still using AMH's directions. 

This one turned out around 12" x 60" which I think is the perfect size.  I'm still new at accessorizing, so a really voluminous big scarf (like the two above) can sometimes be overwhelming for me.  This one is perfect. 

The trick, and I think what put me off this project for so long, is that you don't really have to create the infinity with the fabric when you sew it.  You create that figure 8 when you wrap it around your neck.

Much simpler and totally excellent looking.

p.s. I'm a terrible model and shot these pics myself but I do think the scarves are lovely.  All except for the teal and purple-y one, are listed in my new Etsy shop, LadyFaceMakes.

WIP Wednesday

I tried out a few new things this week, and took a couple pictures too!  I have much more that is "in progress" and I even cleaned up my sewing space (and then messed it up picking fabric for the patchwork prism QAL).

First I wanted to share some non-sewing business with you.  I've been trying to hit the gym frequently to get rid of some "extra stuff" I'm carrying around and went with a friend on Monday.  This was new for me.

I don't really like working out around or with people I know.  I'd rather sweat like a fool and look like one around perfect strangers.  But, my friend had invited me to a class, so I laced up my Asics and went.  And I went to the wrong one...in the wrong room... It was an aerobics type class and wasn't super challenging except for the abs part (but holy cow have I been feeling it since).

Here's the thing though,  I am a 5' 10" uncoordinated mess when it comes to having "moves"... I look like a total loser in a room full of mirrored walls, and have always been shy and self-conscious...yikes...so the fact that I stayed and did the workout was an accomplishment for me.  So yay!  There's that.

In more interesting news, I tried Hexagons!  It was easy!  And fun!  I was prompted to make these because I joined a hexagon swap.  I figured I probably wouldn't give it a try unless I had a reason to make them and this was it.  I followed my friend Katie's tutorial and it was wonderful.  I don't use thimbles though and found my fingers were ok (so far - granted I've only made about 30...I made some more last night after I took this picture)

Then, I made these two blocks with fabrics from my scrap box for Katherine in one of the bee's that I just got a spot in.  She's making this quilt as a gift and I think it's going to look really wonderful!

And I picked out fabric for the Patchwork Prism QAL.  If you haven't heard about this yet you should check it out.  It's an amazing free pattern from Anna Maria Horner and there are some truly amazing prizes (like a new Janome sewing machine!!), so I'm all over this.  It's being hosted by Bianca who is amazing, and you don't want to miss it.  Seriously. 

It's much more color theory than I'm used to wrapping my head around so I kept this post from Bianca open while I pulled my fabrics (all from my stash so far) and I really like the way they look together.  I want to add a yellow and perhaps another brown and another red.  What do you think? Anything you would add or take out?

I really like looking at these and haven't moved them off the table yet.

I'm also working on the Zooey pattern by the great and talented LuLu (here's her Etsy shop) and should have the top done tonight or tomorrow (I hope) and then it can hang out with the other tops in the pile on top of the dryer :)

On an unrelated note we have also been trying no naps for either kid this week (their choice, not mine...) and Abby has been wearing real underwear and using the toilet to go potty.  She's doing pretty well so far, but I'll spare you the nasty details.   It's been an interesting week so far.

 To you experienced moms out there, what did you do when your kids stopped taking naps?  I'm trying to figure out how to still get that break in the day that we all need, and haven't quite figured it out yet.  Any tips or advice would be wonderful!!

I'm hoping to get to the post office today to annoy the mail lady some more, and hopefully I'll be able to get some things finished this weekend between potty breaks and laundry.

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced (be sure to check out the other lovely projects over there!)

Happy Wednesday everyone!!!

p.s. This is my 44th post - I'm thinking something fun for my 50th!  Stick around!

Monday once more!

Good morning friends!  I didn't get much sleep last night so I apologize for any incoherance.  Our little Lady Face doesn't seem to be feeling that terrific, and woke up a whole lotta times last night.  So we're going to snuggle on the couch and have a Buzz Lightyear movie marathon, poor girl. 

I did have a pretty productive weekend though!  Here's what went down.

Books and Blocks Bee Too: I was a little stumped at what to do for this.  The queen of February chose the book block on p. 126 and I wasn't sure what I had in my stash that would fit what she was looking for.  She wanted the block altered a bit so she could do her own sashing thing, so we left the strips off of the top and bottom making it 12.5x8.5, and wanted the spine to be white so we could all sign our names.  After a trip to Joann's for the fabric pen, I found the green Nicey Jane print that I used as background and then received the Japanese fabric in the mail with a bundle of Pezzy Prints (yay!) and thought that would be cute. 

I'm quite pleased with how it came out, even if the spine is a touch long...

Thanks to an almost blizzard (windstorm with some morning snow) we stayed home all day Saturday and that gave me time to put this together!

 I got the fabric from Hawthorne Threads, isn't it cute!  I'd been looking for something like this and couldn't find what I wanted.  This was it!! I tied it so it would go even faster, and because I wasn't sure what I would do to quilt it.  I didn't want to obstruct any of the gorgeous images on the fabric.

 The nice people at Hawthorne Threads cut it so nicely that I could immediately sandwich it together without having to cut it and none was cut off in binding either!  Truly an easy project.

The kids like it, and it is filled with all sorts of fun and educational things.  A win win for me!

I have also pulled out one WIP that I've been meaning to finish for some time now.  It should be done this week (fingers crossed). Remember that Drunkard's Path quilt-along?  I finally finished the top and then it sat and sat for a couple months on top of the washer...I had the backing fabric picked, and it was all ready.  I was a little bummed with it initially because it wasn't as big as I'd hoped it would be and so the border I had added to it wasn't what I thought it'd be.  It just didn't add up to what I'd hoped.

But then I pulled it off the washer yesterday and gave it an ironing, and what do you know, I love it again!  I think it's a great size and will look wonderful over the couch.  I'm doing a simple hand quilting to it, and used an old sheet I picked up at my parents house over thanksgiving that is the perfect rosy, dusty pinkish color that I wanted, and so soft!  It will be wonderful to have it finished.

I will take a better picture when it's done.  The quilting is looking really awesome so far, and should look even better after it's washed and crumply!

I'm linking up to Sew Happy Geek for the Manic Monday Linky Party and at Canoe Ridge Creations Head over and see what everyone else is up to this Monday morning!

I think I'm going to make some hot chocolate!

monday, monday...

...I became an Idaho citizen today.  I aced the eye test, and got 4 wrong on the drivers test...and is it just me or are things getting much more "techy" around those places...the test was on a touch screen computer, with pictures! i took my driver's test in California with a PENCIL AND PAPER!  I'm pretty sure it was a scantron (and we thought those were fancy).

Anyway, we're trying to get our car registered and everything, and kind of forgot to do it until our Virginia registration ran out at the end of last month and the Mr. got pulled over and informed of the problem.  embarrassing, right?! since I've never owned a car before and moved to a different state, I'm not sure what normal procedure is, but it seems like an awful lot of hassling and getting original copies and paperwork nonsense to me...

But that was only part of our awesome Monday experience.  the other part was much scarier.  Monkey Pants did NOT take a nap (it took him exactly 6 minutes to fall asleep tonight though, so that was pretty awesome), but also, while not taking their nap, these adorable children of mine somehow managed to down their dresser, and escape unscratched. I have no idea how it happened because I was in the bathroom when I heard the BOOM, followed by a brief scared cry from Lady Face, followed by Monkey Pants exclaiming, "She broked it!  She broked it!"

I didn't know what to do! Kiss them for being fine and not decapitated or severed into pieces, or be upset that the dresser we've had for all of two months got broken (that was an organizational win for me - thanks Ikea, of course).  It was so scary, so now whenever I hear the drawers open to that dresser, I run in to check on them.  One of my biggest fears is that something like that will happen with disastrous results that is easily preventable (had I not been in the bathroom at that precise moment)!  ugh...it just kills me. 

Back to fabric though, I got two great packages in the mail today.  One from Hawthorne Threads, pretty much my favorite online fabric shop for their great selection and awesome fast shipping, the other from The Fat Quarter Shop, which has a great sale section that I frequently obsess over at nights.  If you haven't visited them before, you should do so right now.  But I'm not responsible for what happens...its super fantastic!

From the Fat Quarter Shop I got some Aneela Hoey prints of the girl on the swing from her line Sherbet Pips, and some of the others, including the scarves in two colors.  I plan on using the scarves to bind my upcoming patchwork quilt that will feature all three of her fabric lines (p.s. have you seen the Christmas line she has coming out?  It's just what I've been waiting for as far as Christmas fabrics go.  It's so cute).  The other prints here are Alexander Henry's Paris Park in pink, and a blue and grey print that I'm forgetting the name of right now (bottom right, anyone know it?).  Great deal.  I am always proud of myself when I can encourage my fabric addiction at a great price (win-win!).

From Hawthorne Threads I got some odds and ends I've been oogling for a while.  Some of the butterfly and sweet spots prints from the line Betty Butterfly by Patty Solinger,  an awesome new print from the collection Washi by Rashida Coleman Hale, the bunting print from Circus Party by Michael Miller, squirrels and trees in sorbet by David Walker's Get Together line, then some Joel Dewberry herringbone in pond (must have more! so pretty), and a fun Ikat print from Sorbet by Michael Miller (and I want the rest of those colors too!)

I have a huge WIP list that I'm hoping to make progress on this week.  Too much to even make it worth listing in this post.  I'm hoping to finish sewing together the main star of my Made In Cherry quilt, and get some Farmer's Wife blocks made (I took a break from all those super tiny pieces but I think I'm ready for it again).  I also have some pieces cut for the Oh My Stars! quilt-along that I need to get to sewing before my brain can no longer connect the pieces to the directions anymore...

It started snowing here today (finally) and I'm hoping there's enough on the ground in the morning that the monkeys can get bundled up and go mess around outside for a while!